Flue-cleaner for steam-boiler furnaces.



No. ss|,49o.. Patented Aug. 27,1901.

- n. WES-TERGAARD.

FL UE CLEANER FOR STEAM BOILER FURNACES.

' (Appfication filed Mar. 12, 1900.)

(No ModeL} NiTED STATES PATENT HELGE XVESTERGAARD, OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANDREW J. ZILKER, OF SAME PLACE.

FLUE-CLEANER FOR STEAM-BOILER FURNACES.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,490, dated August 27, 1901.

Application filed March 12, 1900. Serial No. 8,392. (No model.)

ers, of which the following is a specification. My present invention relates to flue-cleaners for steam-boilers, the construction and advantages of which will be hereinafter fully set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a boiler and its setting, showing the apparatus in position for use; Fig. 2, a front face view of the same, the boiler-setting being. omitted; andFig. 3, a similar view showing,

. with holes through which the pipes project,

the parts in a different position or relation.

The object of myinvention is to provide a simple apparatus for blowing out the tubes of. boiler-furnaces; and the particular object is to so construct such apparatus that it will "embody but few parts and avoid all unnecessaryjoints in the pipes and parts going'to make up the structure.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the boiler, and B the setting therefor,"a part of which is shown broken away in order .to-disclose the rear end of the boiler. or flues of the boiler areindicated by the letter 0.

The cleaning apparatus is designed to be.

*moved up and down in rear of a boiler-head,

so as to bring the orifices oropenings formed in/the steam-pipes of said cleaning device in line with the boiler-tubes, there being a pipe for each vertical line of boiler-tubes and orificesin said pipes opposite each tube-opening.

To provide for such a construction, there is employed a cross-head or manifold D, having connected to its center an upright extension E, which in turn is connected by a flexible hose or coupling F to a steam-supply pipe G, in which is located a supply-valve H, which stands closed under normal conditions or when the cleaner is not in use, as will be more fully set forth.

Depending from the manifold or cross-head D is a series of vertically-disposed pipes I, each of which is provided with a series of openings J, one for each boiler-tube in the The tubes vertical column or line of tubes in front of which the particular pipe I passes. These pipes I pass down through an angle plate or member K, secured to the rear face of the boiler or, if preferred, secured within and supported by the boiler-setting or masonry-work, and the position of said angle-plate is such that when the holes or orifices J come oppo site the boiler-tubes the manifold D will rest thereon and sustain the weight of the apparatus and maintain it in its proper position and relation. The construction of member K is such as to permit it to serve as a guide for the pipes as well as to hold them up to the face of the boiler-head. The lower ends of the pipes I are preferably connected by a cross-bar L, said bar being simply provided and nuts or other suitable fastening devices being passed over the ends of the pipes beneath said bar. This cross-bar L also serves to limit the upward movement of the cleanin g device, for, as will be seen upon reference to Fig. 3, it will be noted that said bar comes in contact .with the under face of the angle plate or member K when the parts are raised to their highest position.

To provide for the raising and lowering of the manifold, with its depending pipes, there is employed a chain M or other suitable flexible strap or band, which passes over a pulley N, secured or mounted in the outer end of a bracket 0, extending up from the boiler orfrom the masonry-work or boiler-setting. The chain after passing over the pulley N passes down beneath a pulley P, secured to the pipe or manifold E in any suitable mannor, and then up to the bracket 0, to which it is connected by a spring Q, the spring serving to absorb all'shock as well aspermitting the parts to come to position without any strain. The chain M passes out to the front of the boiler-setting, where it may be fastened in any suitable manner to hold the parts in their elevated position.

It is of course desirable when the cleaning device is lowered to position that the steam be automatically turned on, and to this end there is employed a second band or chain R, which is connected to the movable members at some suitable point and which has its opposite end connected to a lever S, which bears upon the valve-stem, as is best shown in Fig. 1. Normally the valve is closed; but when the cleaning device is lowered and reaches that position where the openings or orifices J in the pipes come into alinement with the openings in the tubes the valve-stem is pressed inward by the lever S, which is drawn down through the action of the chain or band B. Thus it will be seen that when the parts are in position or when the manifold D rests upon the angle plate or member K the valve will be opened automatically and the steam will be blown into each and every tube in the boiler without further attention on the part of the attendant. Immediately the attendant raises the cleaning device by pulling upon the chain or band M the valve is closed by reason of the band or chain R becoming slack, and the spring of the valve serves to force it to its seat. The exact arrangement of the parts for raising and lowering the cleaning device and also for operating the valve is immaterial so long as a construction is employed which brings about the same result as above set forth.

With an apparatus constructed in accordance with the above description it is unnecessary for the attendant to open up the rear or front of the boiler in order to ascertain whether or not the parts are in proper'position. It is also evident that this apparatus occupies but a small space and is always ready to be lowered into position for operation.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to employa series of pipes with orifices or nozzles to clean the lines of a boiler, and I am also aware that it is not new to provide a vertically-movable cleaning device having a single horizontally-disposed cross member, which is adaped to be brought into line with a series of boiler-tubes; but with this latter construction it is of course only possible to clean one line of tubes at a time, which necessitates the adjustment of the apparatus for each horizontal line of tubes to be cleaned.

It is manifest that the present invention discloses a very simple construction, one employing few parts, and consequently necessitating a minimum number of joints in the pipes which go to make up the structure. The device is comparatively light, and therefore easy to manipulate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the combination of a manifold; a series of vertically-disposed pipes extending downwardly therefrom and provided with orifices or openings; means for admitting steam to said manifold; and a guide-plate through which said pipes work, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the comb1nat1on of a manifold; asource of steam supply connected therewith; a series of pipes 1 extending downwardly from said manifold and provided with orifices; and a member extending across the rear face of the boiler, through which said pipes pass, said member serving when the orifices are in alinement with the boiler-tubes to maintain and support the manifold and pipes in such position.

3. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the combination of a manifold; a series of pipes extendingdownwardly therefrom and provided with orifices; a member extending across the face of the boiler and through which the pipes pass; and means for raising and lowering the manifold and the pipes connected thereto.

4:. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the

combination of a manifold; a series of pipes depending therefrom and provided with orifices; a member extending across the face of the boiler and through which said pipes pass; means for raising and lowering said manifold and its depending pipes; and means for automatically admitting steam to the manifold when the parts come to that position where the orifices in the pipes are opposite the boiler-tube openings.

5. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the combination of a manifold; a series of pipes depending therefrom and provided with orifices; a member extending across the face of the boiler and adapted to arrest and hold the manifold against further downward movement when the orifices in the pipes come opposite the boiler-tube openings; means for raising and lowering said manifold and its pipes; and means for automatically admitting steam to the manifold when said manifold comes to rest upon the member extend ing across the face of the boiler, substantially as described.

6.' In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the combination of a manifold; a series of pipes depending therefrom and provided with orifices; a bar connecting the lower ends of said pipes; and means for lowering and raising the cleaning device thus formed into and out of position before the fines of a boiler-furnace.

7. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the combination of a manifold; a series of vertically-disposed pipes connected to and extend ing downwardly therefrom, said pipes being provided with orifices; a cross-bar connecting the lower ends of said pipes; amember extending across the face of the boiler and through which said pipes are passed; and means for lowering and raising the cleaning device thus formed, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the combination of a vertically-movable cleaning device; means for admitting steam thereto; and a cross bar or member extending across the face of the boiler, said bar being adapted and arranged to support and hold the cleaning device in its operative position in front of the boiler, and to limit its upward vertical movement when the cleaning device is raised out of its operative relation to the boiler-flues.

9. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the combination of a manifold; a series of vertically-disposed pipes extending downwardly therefrom and provided with orifices; means for connecting the lower ends of said pipes against lateral displacement; an angle-plate extending across the face of the boiler and through which said pipes pass; a flexible connection between said manifold and a source of steam-supply; means for raising and lowering the manifold and its pipes; and means for automatically admitting steam to the manifold when the parts are lowered into operative position, and for shutting off said steam-supply when the parts are elevated and withdrawn from their operative position.

10. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the combination of a manifold D; a series of vertically-disposed pipes J depending therefrom and having orifices in line with the boiler-tubes when the parts are in operative position; means for connecting the lower ends of said pipes against displacement; an angle-plate extending across the face of the boiler and through which said pipes pass; a source of steam-supply; a flexible connection between said source of supply and the manifold; means for raising and lowering the manifold and its depending pipes; and means for automatically admitting steam to the manifold when the device is lowered into working positionand for shutting off the supply of steam when the parts are raised.

11. In a flue-cleaner for steam-boilers, the combination of a manifold; a series of vertically-disposed pipes extending downwardly therefrom; a cross-bar connecting the lower ends of said pipes; an angle-plate K extending across the face of the boiler and through which the pipes are passed; a pipeE extending up from the manifold; a source of steamsupply; a flexible connection between said supply and said pipe E; a bracket; a pulley mounted upon said bracket; a second pulley connected to the cleaning device; a flexible chain or band passing around said pulleys and connected atits inner end to a spring; an automatically-closing valve mounted in the steam-supply passage; a lever operating upon the stem of said valve; and a chain or band connected to the cleaning device and to said lever, said chain being so arranged that as the cleaning device is lowered into position it will, acting through the lever, open the valve and admit steam to the manifold.

12. A flue-cleaner comprising two or more pipes which are substantially parallel to the end boiler-plate, each pipe being in the same plane with a row of fines, and having an'orifice opposite the opening of each of such flues, and means for admitting steam to such pipes, substantially as set forth.

13. A flue-cleaner comprising two or more pipes which are substantially parallel to the end boiler-plate, each pipe when in operative position being in line with a row of flue-openings, and having an orifice opposite each of such flue-openings, said pipes being movable in the direction of their length, and means for admitting steam to such pipes,substantially as specified.

14. A flue-cleaner comprising two or more pipes which are substantially parallel to the end boiler-plate, each pipe when in operative position being in line with a row of flue-openings and having an orifice opposite each of such flue-openin gs, such pipes being movable in the direction of their length, a cross-pipe to which said first-mentioned pipes are secured, and with which they communicate, and means for admitting steam to such cross-pipe, substantially as shown.

15. A flue-cleaner comprising a series of parallel pipes which are parallel to the end boiler-plate; each pipe when in operative position being in line with a row of flue-openings, having an orifice opposite each of such flue-openings,- and extending through an opening in the boiler-casing, a cross-pipe con necting said pipes and communicating there'- with outside of such casing, and means for admitting steam to said cross-pipe, substantially as described.

16. A flue-cleaner comprising a series of parallel pipes which are parallel to the end boiler-plate, each pipe when in operative position being in line with a row of flue-openings; having an orifice opposite each of such flue-openings, and extending through openin gs in the boiler-casing, a cross-pipe connecting said pipes and communicating therewith outside of said casing, means for admitting steam to such cross-pipe, and means for moving said parallel pipes in the openings in the boiler-casing, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HELGE WESTERGAARD.

\Vitnesses:

A. J. ZILKER, J AS. E. LUCY. 

